Vertical variability of benthic foraminifera and trace elements in a tropical coastal lagoon in the Gulf of California

Abstract Population growth around water bodies is deteriorating environmental quality. The benthic foraminiferal and trace element concentration in a pair of short sediment cores were used to establish the quality of the sedimentary environment in a tropical coastal lagoon in the southwestern Gulf of California. From 25 cm depth towards the surface of the sediment core, Ammonia beccarii was dominant over nontolerant species and the concentrations of V, Ni, Co, Zn, Cu, Hg and Pb in the sediments increased compared with the lower depth intervals. This finding suggests a deterioration in the environmental quality of the lagoon since 1980, associated with an increase in the sizes of the population and vehicle fleet in the city of La Paz, Baja California Sur, and with the operation of three fossil fuel-based thermoelectric plants since 1985.